The Premier League has released the weekly wage figures for all 20 teams, and it comes as no surprise that Manchester United leads the pack ahead of their rival clubs. Manchester United pays their star players a combined total of nearly £4 million per week (£3.8 million).

Although this would be acceptable if Manchester United were performing well on the field, their team under Erik Ten Hag failed to secure a place in the upcoming Champions League. On the other hand, the three teams competing for the Premier League title, namely Manchester City, Arsenal, and Liverpool, all pay their players less than Manchester United.

According to data from Capology, Manchester City’s weekly wage bill is £3.705 million, while Arsenal, who are striving to prevent Manchester City from winning their fourth consecutive Premier League title, pay £3.298 million in wages. Chelsea, after spending £1 billion on transfers under new owner Todd Boehly, ranks fourth with a weekly wage bill of £2.978 million, despite their ninth-place position in the Premier League.

Liverpool, in fifth place, has a wage bill of £2.67 million, which is about £1 million less than Manchester United and Manchester City. This highlights Liverpool’s wise spending while maintaining their status as a force in English and European football.

Liverpool’s accomplishments are what Manchester United’s new co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, hopes for in the upcoming season. The INEOS oil conglomerate owner aims to reduce costs during the summer transfer window.

Manchester United plans to offload high-earning players such as Raphael Varane and Anthony Martial, whose contracts expire in June. Ratcliffe is open to considering offers for other star players, including Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford. Manchester United is currently making significant efforts to avoid breaching financial fair play regulations. Fortunately, they will reduce players’ wages by 25% due to not qualifying for the Champions League next season.

Sir Jim Ratcliffe has emphasized the importance of Champions League qualification for the “financial health of the Red Devils.” Now, he must find alternative ways to balance Manchester United’s financial situation while ensuring effective operations in the transfer market.

Beyond on-field matters, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire, is also cutting back on expenses by reducing benefits for staff members ahead of Manchester United’s FA Cup final against Manchester City. Previously, Manchester United employees enjoyed free transportation to Wembley Stadium for the final, but now they will need to pay £20 for a seat on a coach.

These wage statistics have emerged following an agreement among Premier League clubs to implement stringent spending limits from the 2025-2026 season onwards. This will restrict clubs’ spending on transfers, wages, and agent fees to 4.5 times the amount earned by the bottom-placed Premier League club. Although Manchester United and Manchester City voted against this proposal, 16 other clubs voted in favor.